Deprived of the opportunity to receive a good education, he used to serve as a peon in the Department of Industries of the government, and had his living quarters at 36B Nilkhet Barrack in Dhaka. On 21 February 1952, students and common people defied official ban on assemblage of people imposed under Section 144, and staged a demonstration in front of Dhaka Medical College Hostel demanding recognition of Bangla as one of the state languages of Pakistan. Abdus Salam took part in the demonstration and was shot when the police fired on the crowd.